stress
And they say the army isn't good for anything...
From the US Army Survival Manual: (replaced "soldier" with "grad student")
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A LOOK AT STRESS
Before we can understand our psychological reactions in a survival setting, it is helpful to first know a little bit about stress.
Stress is not a disease that you cure and eliminate. Instead, it is a condition we all experience. Stress can be described as our reaction to pressure. It is the name given to the experience we have as we physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually respond to life's tensions.
Need for Stress
We need stress because it has many positive benefits. Stress provides us with challenges; it gives us chances to learn about our values and strengths. Stress can show our ability to handle pressure without breaking; it tests our adaptability and flexibility; it can stimulate us
to do our best. Because we usually do not consider unimportant events stressful, stress can also be an excellent indicator of the significance we attach to an event--in other words, it highlights what is important to us. We need to have some stress in our lives, but too much of anything can be bad. The goal is to have stress, but not an excess of it. Too much stress can take its toll on people and organizations. Too much stress leads to distress. Distress causes an uncomfortable tension
that we try to escape and, preferably, avoid. Listed below are a few of the common signs of distress you may find in your fellow [grad students] or yourself when faced with too much stress:
· Difficulty making decisions.
· Angry outbursts.
· Forgetfulness.
· Low energy level.
· Constant worrying.
· Propensity for mistakes.
· Thoughts about death or suicide.
· Trouble getting along with others.
· Withdrawing from others.
· Hiding from responsibilities.
· Carelessness.
As you can see, stress can be constructive or destructive. It can encourage or discourage,move us along or stop us dead in our tracks, and make life meaningful or seeminglymeaningless. Stress can inspire you to operate successfully and perform at your maximum efficiency in a survival situation. It can also cause you to panic and forget all your training.
Key to your survival is your ability to manage the inevitable stresses you will encounter. The survivor is the [grad student] who works with his stresses instead of letting his stresses work
on him.
From the US Army Survival Manual: (replaced "soldier" with "grad student")
">
A LOOK AT STRESS
Before we can understand our psychological reactions in a survival setting, it is helpful to first know a little bit about stress.
Stress is not a disease that you cure and eliminate. Instead, it is a condition we all experience. Stress can be described as our reaction to pressure. It is the name given to the experience we have as we physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually respond to life's tensions.
Need for Stress
We need stress because it has many positive benefits. Stress provides us with challenges; it gives us chances to learn about our values and strengths. Stress can show our ability to handle pressure without breaking; it tests our adaptability and flexibility; it can stimulate us
to do our best. Because we usually do not consider unimportant events stressful, stress can also be an excellent indicator of the significance we attach to an event--in other words, it highlights what is important to us. We need to have some stress in our lives, but too much of anything can be bad. The goal is to have stress, but not an excess of it. Too much stress can take its toll on people and organizations. Too much stress leads to distress. Distress causes an uncomfortable tension
that we try to escape and, preferably, avoid. Listed below are a few of the common signs of distress you may find in your fellow [grad students] or yourself when faced with too much stress:
· Difficulty making decisions.
· Angry outbursts.
· Forgetfulness.
· Low energy level.
· Constant worrying.
· Propensity for mistakes.
· Thoughts about death or suicide.
· Trouble getting along with others.
· Withdrawing from others.
· Hiding from responsibilities.
· Carelessness.
As you can see, stress can be constructive or destructive. It can encourage or discourage,move us along or stop us dead in our tracks, and make life meaningful or seeminglymeaningless. Stress can inspire you to operate successfully and perform at your maximum efficiency in a survival situation. It can also cause you to panic and forget all your training.
Key to your survival is your ability to manage the inevitable stresses you will encounter. The survivor is the [grad student] who works with his stresses instead of letting his stresses work
on him.